Latest news with #AtmosphericProtectionProgram
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers band together to save Star on appliances
(WKBN) – If you've bought an appliance in the last few decades, you've seen the Energy Star sticker on packaging. The emblem has been around since 1992 and lets consumers know their new appliance is energy-efficient, could save them money on energy bills, and could also come with a rebate. According to the Associated Press, the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Trump Administration, plans to eliminate the Energy Star program. The proposed program cut is part of the EPA's reorganization. EPA has not confirmed when the program would end or what new guidelines might replace it. Trump's proposed budget asks that Congress eliminate the EPA's entire Atmospheric Protection Program, which houses the offices that run Energy Star. The budget described the program as 'an overreach of Government authority that imposes unnecessary and radical climate change regulations on businesses and stifles economic growth,' the Associated Press reported. U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) joined colleagues in Congress in writing a letter to the Trump Administration asking him to reverse course on ending the program. In their letter, the senators highlighted the cost-saving benefits of the program, which is projected to save the average American household $450 on utility bills each year simply by choosing ENERGY STAR-certified products. Fetterman and his colleagues said that the Energy Star program is the epitome of an 'effective public-private partnership.' EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said during a hearing that the Energy Star program is an example of one that can be run outside of the government. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Energy Star, efficiency program that has steered consumer choice, targeted in cuts
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways An Environmental Protection Agency plan to eliminate its Energy Star offices would end a decades-old program that gave consumers a choice to buy environmentally friendly refrigerators, dishwashers and other electronics and save money on electric bills, consumer and environmental groups said. The changes, outlined in agency documents reviewed by The Associated Press, are part of a broad reorganization at the EPA that would eliminate or reorganize significant parts of the office focused on air pollution. Those plans advance President Donald Trump's sharp turn away from the prior administration's focus on climate change. The EPA did not confirm directly it was ending the program, first reported Tuesday by CNN, but said the reorganization 'is delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better advance the agency's core mission, while Powering the Great American Comeback.' The EPA launched Energy Star in 1992 with the goal of tackling environmental protection and economic growth. It boosts the market for energy-efficient products and benefits companies that design appliances that earn the label. A home that decides to buy Energy Star products can save $450 annually on energy costs, the program's website says. 'People recognize it right away, so they would be like 'oh, it is Energy Star, so I should probably go with this one,'' said Francis Dietz, spokesperson with the trade association Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said the program enjoyed bipartisan support until recently. It promotes efficiency by tightening standards when lots of products are able to meet the label requirements, he said. Big savings in money and pollution Since its start, the program has reduced energy costs by more than $500 billion and prevented about 4 billion metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to its website. Appliances can be responsible for tons of air pollution, but efficiency measures can reduce the carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter that producing the electricity releases into the atmosphere. These pollutants can harm the heart and lungs, and cause other health issues. Trump's proposed budget asks that Congress eliminate the EPA's entire Atmospheric Protection Program, which houses the offices that run Energy Star. The budget described the program as 'an overreach of Government authority that imposes unnecessary and radical climate change regulations on businesses and stifles economic growth.' But Sarah Gleeson, climate solutions research manager at the climate action nonprofit Project Drawdown, said America's energy independence depends on the ability to meet U.S. energy demands, and cutting the program imperils that and strains households at the same time. Gleeson said losing Energy Star will make it harder for consumers to have trustworthy information about products' energy use. Label is voluntary, and Congress ordered it The Energy Star label is voluntary for products that meet certain efficiency levels, and differs from Department of Energy standards that set minimum efficiency requirements that products must meet to be legally sold. In the 2000s, Congress directed the EPA and Department of Energy to run an energy-efficiency program and promote Energy Star. The DOE did not comment on the changes and its role moving forward, deferring questions to the EPA. According to the program's website, DOE's role includes developing product testing procedures. The EPA is responsible for setting performance levels and ensuring consumers can rely on the label. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers said it supports a streamlined Energy Star program through the DOE. Spokeswoman Jill Notini said that 'would meet the administration's goals of preserving a full selection of products from which consumers can choose, and reducing unnecessary regulatory burden.' The move is the latest in the Trump administration's broader deregulatory effort. They've announced plans to slash Biden-era policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prioritized fossil fuels and an energy-dominance policy. The president has been particularly keen on eliminating efficiency standards, arguing they result in products that cost more and are less effective, and that they deny consumer choice. Trump has reversed rules restricting water flow for showerheads and other household appliances. Trump targeted Energy Star during his first stint in the White House, but faced backlash. 'For an administration who keeps claiming the country is facing an 'energy emergency,' Trump continues to attack any and all efforts aimed at saving energy through efficiency," Xavier Boatright, deputy legislative director for clean energy and electrification at Sierra Club said in a statement. 'When we waste energy through inefficient appliances the fossil fuel industry uses it as an excuse to extract and sell more of its product to make more money on the backs of the American people.' ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Energy Star, efficiency program that has steered consumer choice, targeted in cuts
An Environmental Protection Agency plan to eliminate its Energy Star offices would end a decades-old program that gave consumers a choice to buy environmentally friendly refrigerators, dishwashers and other electronics and save money on electric bills, consumer and environmental groups said. The changes, outlined in agency documents reviewed by The Associated Press, are part of a broad reorganization at the EPA that would eliminate or reorganize significant parts of the office focused on air pollution. Those plans advance President Donald Trump's sharp turn away from the prior administration's focus on climate change. The EPA did not confirm directly it was ending the program, first reported Tuesday by CNN, but said the reorganization 'is delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better advance the agency's core mission, while Powering the Great American Comeback.' FILE - An Energy Star logo is displayed on a box for a freezer Jan. 21, 2025, in Evendale, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File) The EPA launched Energy Star in 1992 with the goal of tackling environmental protection and economic growth. It boosts the market for energy-efficient products and benefits companies that design appliances that earn the label. A home that decides to buy Energy Star products can save $450 annually on energy costs, the program's website says. 'People recognize it right away, so they would be like 'oh, it is Energy Star, so I should probably go with this one,'' said Francis Dietz, spokesperson with the trade association Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said the program enjoyed bipartisan support until recently. It promotes efficiency by tightening standards when lots of products are able to meet the label requirements, he said. Big savings in money and pollution Since its start, the program has reduced energy costs by more than $500 billion and prevented about 4 billion metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to its website. Appliances can be responsible for tons of air pollution, but efficiency measures can reduce the carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter that producing the electricity releases into the atmosphere. These pollutants can harm the heart and lungs, and cause other health issues. Trump's proposed budget asks that Congress eliminate the EPA's entire Atmospheric Protection Program, which houses the offices that run Energy Star. The budget described the program as 'an overreach of Government authority that imposes unnecessary and radical climate change regulations on businesses and stifles economic growth.' But Sarah Gleeson, climate solutions research manager at the climate action nonprofit Project Drawdown, said America's energy independence depends on the ability to meet U.S. energy demands, and cutting the program imperils that and strains households at the same time. Gleeson said losing Energy Star will make it harder for consumers to have trustworthy information about products' energy use. Label is voluntary, and Congress ordered it The Energy Star label is voluntary for products that meet certain efficiency levels, and differs from Department of Energy standards that set minimum efficiency requirements that products must meet to be legally sold. In the 2000s, Congress directed the EPA and Department of Energy to run an energy-efficiency program and promote Energy Star. The DOE did not comment on the changes and its role moving forward, deferring questions to the EPA. According to the program's website, DOE's role includes developing product testing procedures. The EPA is responsible for setting performance levels and ensuring consumers can rely on the label. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers said it supports a streamlined Energy Star program through the DOE. Spokeswoman Jill Notini said that 'would meet the administration's goals of preserving a full selection of products from which consumers can choose, and reducing unnecessary regulatory burden.' The move is the latest in the Trump administration's broader deregulatory effort. They've announced plans to slash Biden-era policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prioritized fossil fuels and an energy-dominance policy. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up The president has been particularly keen on eliminating efficiency standards, arguing they result in products that cost more and are less effective, and that they deny consumer choice. Trump has reversed rules restricting water flow for showerheads and other household appliances. Trump targeted Energy Star during his first stint in the White House, but faced backlash. 'For an administration who keeps claiming the country is facing an 'energy emergency,' Trump continues to attack any and all efforts aimed at saving energy through efficiency,' Xavier Boatright, deputy legislative director for clean energy and electrification at Sierra Club said in a statement. 'When we waste energy through inefficient appliances the fossil fuel industry uses it as an excuse to extract and sell more of its product to make more money on the backs of the American people.' ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit
San Francisco Chronicle
07-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Energy Star, efficiency program that has steered consumer choice, targeted in cuts
An Environmental Protection Agency plan to eliminate its Energy Star offices would end a decades-old program that gave consumers a choice to buy environmentally friendly refrigerators, dishwashers and other electronics and save money on electric bills, consumer and environmental groups said. The changes, outlined in agency documents reviewed by The Associated Press, are part of a broad reorganization at the EPA that would eliminate or reorganize significant parts of the office focused on air pollution. Those plans advance President Donald Trump's sharp turn away from the prior administration's focus on climate change. The EPA did not confirm directly it was ending the program, first reported Tuesday by CNN, but said the reorganization 'is delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better advance the agency's core mission, while Powering the Great American Comeback.' The EPA launched Energy Star in 1992 with the goal of tackling environmental protection and economic growth. It boosts the market for energy-efficient products and benefits companies that design appliances that earn the label. A home that decides to buy Energy Star products can save $450 annually on energy costs, the program's website says. 'People recognize it right away, so they would be like 'oh, it is Energy Star, so I should probably go with this one,'' said Francis Dietz, spokesperson with the trade association Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said the program enjoyed bipartisan support until recently. It promotes efficiency by tightening standards when lots of products are able to meet the label requirements, he said. Big savings in money and pollution Since its start, the program has reduced energy costs by more than $500 billion and prevented about 4 billion metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to its website. Appliances can be responsible for tons of air pollution, but efficiency measures can reduce the carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter that producing the electricity releases into the atmosphere. These pollutants can harm the heart and lungs, and cause other health issues. Trump's proposed budget asks that Congress eliminate the EPA's entire Atmospheric Protection Program, which houses the offices that run Energy Star. The budget described the program as 'an overreach of Government authority that imposes unnecessary and radical climate change regulations on businesses and stifles economic growth.' But Sarah Gleeson, climate solutions research manager at the climate action nonprofit Project Drawdown, said America's energy independence depends on the ability to meet U.S. energy demands, and cutting the program imperils that and strains households at the same time. Gleeson said losing Energy Star will make it harder for consumers to have trustworthy information about products' energy use. Label is voluntary, and Congress ordered it The Energy Star label is voluntary for products that meet certain efficiency levels, and differs from Department of Energy standards that set minimum efficiency requirements that products must meet to be legally sold. In the 2000s, Congress directed the EPA and Department of Energy to run an energy-efficiency program and promote Energy Star. The DOE did not comment on the changes and its role moving forward, deferring questions to the EPA. According to the program's website, DOE's role includes developing product testing procedures. The EPA is responsible for setting performance levels and ensuring consumers can rely on the label. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers said it supports a streamlined Energy Star program through the DOE. Spokeswoman Jill Notini said that 'would meet the administration's goals of preserving a full selection of products from which consumers can choose, and reducing unnecessary regulatory burden.' The move is the latest in the Trump administration's broader deregulatory effort. They've announced plans to slash Biden-era policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prioritized fossil fuels and an energy-dominance policy. The president has been particularly keen on eliminating efficiency standards, arguing they result in products that cost more and are less effective, and that they deny consumer choice. Trump has reversed rules restricting water flow for showerheads and other household appliances. 'For an administration who keeps claiming the country is facing an 'energy emergency,' Trump continues to attack any and all efforts aimed at saving energy through efficiency," Xavier Boatright, deputy legislative director for clean energy and electrification at Sierra Club said in a statement. 'When we waste energy through inefficient appliances the fossil fuel industry uses it as an excuse to extract and sell more of its product to make more money on the backs of the American people.' ___
